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Let's not repeat our solar energy mistake with quantum computing

Australia led the world in solar innovation but failed to cash in. With quantum computing, we have a second chance — if we act decisively.

Sven Rogge Sven is the Dean of the Faculty of Science at UNSW. He works on quantum computation in silicon at the ARC Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology.
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Australia has the talent to lead in quantum computing — but only if it invests and retains its intellectual property, argues Sven Rogge. Shutterstock.

You’ve probably heard that Australians are big fans of solar energy. In fact, a whopping one in three households have solar panels installed on their rooftops.

What you might not have heard is that a key piece of tech behind the global solar rollout was designed right here in Australia — at UNSW, no less.

The “Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell” (PERC) improves the efficiency of solar panels, making them more commercially viable. It’s been foundational to the success of solar energy for decades.

More than 40 years after its invention by my colleague, Professor Martin Green, the PERC remains a core component in nearly every solar panel produced anywhere in the world. And yet, despite its central role in the new green revolution, Australians remain buyers of this technology, not sellers.

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